NCIS: SYDNEY’s showrunner is promising plenty of easter eggs for franchise fans in the upcoming episodes.
According to Morgan O’Neill, the show’s executive producer, NCIS: SYDNEY is “entirely Australian.” The great relief from a showrunner’s perspective is that I don’t really have to go out and recruit “stars” when working on a program as massive as NCIS, which is broadcast in 200 countries and 60 different languages and has trillions of viewers. The show is already the star; all I get to do is hire the world’s top actors! Therefore, we were able to cast widely and globally to locate the greatest performers to fit into these rather distinctive characters.
O’Neill explained that the show will still connect to NCIS’ naval roots despite being set in Australia.
“It’s effectively the first ‘blended family’ where NCIS has to form a team with the Australian Federal Police and operate in conjunction with them,” he said. “It’s Australians and Americans working not always in concert, but certainly together, and working through cultural differences, working through the clashes that would naturally exist when you bring two disparate organizations together.”
When asked if there would be any sneaky nods to other beloved NCIS characters, O’Neill answered in the affirmative.
“There are a couple of little Easter eggs there,” he promised. “I won’t spoil them, but they’re definitely there.”
O’Neill continued, “One of the things that I think audiences love about this show is the fact that it feels like a universe, not individual shows. And while they each have their own DNA, I think that’s what was really clever about the way CBS developed this franchise is they didn’t go out to make the same show twice.”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, NCIS: SYDNEY “is part of an effort from Paramount+ to expand local offerings in markets outside the United States as it attempts to scale up the streamer internationally.”
“NCIS is one of the most popular series in the world, and we’re thrilled to expand this franchise with a uniquely Australian twist,” said Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, regarding the new program. “With the addition of NCIS: SYDNEY, our studio and Network footprint continues to expand in this fascinating world that has been a proven success with viewers on both linear and streaming platforms,” the statement reads. The new series will blend the high-stakes intrigue, humor, and camaraderie that have kept fans enthralled by the NCIS teams for more than 20 years, with the gorgeous backdrop of Australia.
On November 10 in Australia on Paramount+, and on November 13 in America on CBS, NCIS: SYDNEY will make its television debut.
The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes have halted TV program production, so CBS is replacing an American favorite with NCIS: SYDNEY from Australia.
“CBS had previously announced a Monday night schedule for fall that included NCIS repeat at 9 p.m. ET, followed by an unspecified ‘Paramount+ Original’ at 10 p.m., which has now been confirmed to be NCIS: SYDNEY,” Variety reported.
Season 21 of NCIS was set to arrive this fall, but the strikes put it on hold. Now, the soonest fans can expect to see the 21st season will be in 2024.